The State Department will open a passport office in San Diego on April 4, 2011. People that need a passport in less than two weeks for travel can schedule an appointment by telephone. Here is the link to the website:

The National Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Services warns that extortion of established businesses causes a psychosis and that businessmen are leaving the city.

The president of the National Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Services of Mazatlán, Guillermo Romero Rodriguez, said he was aware that just last weekend a chain of chicken restaurants closed, which adds to the seafood restaurants and businesses in general.

“We have the problem of extortion, for which the psychosis is very strong, which is a problem which worries us because we have never see it so high and mid-level businesses on down are targeted,” he said.

73 years after the expropriation of petroleum, Mexico is dependent on foreign imports, and now consumes and imports more than 50% to its energy at ever-increasing costs, which will continue to rise for the next 50 years and more. The immediate situation in 2011 and 2012 is critical.

Even when one considers the potential for renewable energy, an analysis of the Mexican energy sector indicates it will continue requiring hydrocarbons, at least for the next 50 years.

On Friday March 18, 1938, General Lázaro Cárdenas, president of Mexico, terminated the ownership of the 17 oil companies that exploited Mexico’s crude oil, an act which was initially applauded by all Mexicans, as that meant the oil belonged to Mexico.

Dr. Alejandro Díaz Bautista, researcher for the National Council of Science and Technology, reports that Mexico dependence on foreign oil will continue to grow in 2011, and the cost could surpass $20 billion per year, since Mexico’s refineries have serious problems in processing the low quality crude oil produced in the country.

March 23, 2011. MANASSAS, Va. — Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials say more than 130 illegal immigrants have been arrested in northern Virginia as part of a recent enforcement effort targeting criminal aliens.

ICE and other law enforcement officials announced the arrests Wednesday morning in Manassas, where local authorities have complained that the federal government is not doing enough to remove and deport illegal immigrants.

Officials say they arrested 163 foreign nationals from Sunday to Tuesday, including roughly 130 with criminal records. They say the enforcement effort focused almost exclusively on illegal immigrants with criminal records, including people convicted of sex offenses.

The group, which also included 14 men and two women, were taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said Sgt. Steve Martos, Phoenix police spokesman .

He said each admitted to being smuggled into the country after they were discovered just before 11 a.m. at the lodging place near 27th Avenue and Indian School Road.

“It took a good number of patrol resources to locate, detain, and investigate this border-related incident,” Martos said.

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March 22, 2011. Border Patrol agents recently arrested 13 illegal immigrants disguised as U.S. Marines and riding in a fake military van, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday.

The illegal immigrants were clad in Marine uniforms when they were apprehended at the Campo Border Patrol Westbound I-8 checkpoint at 11 p.m. on March 14 near Pine Valley, Calif., border officials said. Two U.S. citizens in the van also were arrested.

After the suspicious white van was subjected to secondary inspection, it was determined that the driver of the vehicle and its front seat passenger were U.S. citizens who were attempting to smuggle 13 illegal immigrants into the United States. All of the vehicle’s occupants wore U.S. Marine uniforms, reportedly emblazoned with the name “Perez.”

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March 22, 2011. Escondido Police and ICE have arrested and removed 406 criminal illegal aliens in the first 10 months of a special program called “Operation Joint Effort” according to a press release from the city Tuesday. The month by month numbers released by police show this new program has become very effective at finding and removing dangerous aliens from this heavily Hispanic city about 60 miles north of the Mexican border. In May 2010, the first month of the joint operation, 22 criminal aliens were taken into custody by ICE. However, last month a record 69 aliens were captured in the city by ICE. All illegal aliens are returned to their home countries after they have been processed or tried for any outstanding warrants or other crimes.

Of the 406 aliens arrested under Joint Effort, 319 of them had been previously removed or deported from the U.S. and then violated U.S. borders again to return to Escondido.

[Fulano’s note: Well, according to Chente, it’s all the US’s fault. Even the increasing use of drugs in Mexico is the US’s fault because returning immigrants bring their kids who are dopers. His suit is brown because it is made of Teflon. Nothing sticks to Chente, no way!]

Former Mexican President Vicente Fox says his nation is at “war” with drug cartels, and he offered sharp criticism of the Obama administration for failing to assist its beleaguered neighbor.

In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV on Tuesday, Fox said President Barack Obama’s administration has failed to grapple with the deteriorating situation in Mexico.

“Obama is thoroughly mixed up with all these things he’s got,” Fox said, adding: “He’s got to solve Libya. He’s got to solve Afghanistan. He’s everywhere. And this nation, I don’t know why it’s not showing the leadership and capacity to attend different issues at the same time.”

Asked if Mexico was entangled in a civil war involving the drug cartels, Fox responded: “We’re undergoing a war, no doubt — 35,000, maybe 40,000 people killed, either members of the cartels or members of the police force or members of the army. So yes, we’re undergoing a war, no doubt.